California-based Alta Motors was well known for their electric dirt bikes. However, disaster struck when the company was forced to close late last year amid financial trouble. While many held out hope that the company would be purchased and saved, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Instead, their assets were bought by Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP).
According to multiple independent sources, Alta Motors is winding down business operations and shuttering their electric motorbike production line. The award-winning startup has recently faced issues securing enough funding to continue operations after several investment and partnership deals fell through.
In December last year, Josh Hill, riding the electric Alta Motors’ Redshift, beat Ricky Carmichael, aka “The GOAT”, who was riding his Suzuki RM-Z450 (combustion) motorcycle, during the final night of the Geneva Supercross 2017. That victory gave Alta Motors the confidence to sign up two riders on almost-stock Redshift MXR electric motorcycles for what is arguably the hardest enduro race on earth, the Erzberg Rodeo in the small town of Eisenerz, Austria.
Just a few weeks after Harley-Davidson finally confirmed that it plans on bringing its first electric motorcycle to market next year, the company now announces an investment in Alta Motors to accelerate its electrification effort.
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Alta Motors, formerly known as BRD Motorcycles, is small electric motorcycle startup based in Silicon Valley and backed financially by Tesla co-founders Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard.
Today, they are unveiling their latest generation electric motorcycle: the 2018 Redshift MXR.
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While not as popular as Zero Motorcycle, Alta Motors is an up-and-coming electric motorcycle manufacturer and it unveiled a new version of its flagship Redshift last week that could broaden their market.
Alta’s Redshift was only offered as an all-electric supermoto/motocross, but the latest version of the motorcycle is a new street tracker: Redshift ST.
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Alta Motors, formerly known as BRD Motorcycles, is small electric motorcycle startup based in Silicon Valley that managed to raise over $17 million in funding, including from Tesla co-founders Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard in a $4.5 million Series A round almost 2 years ago.
The company took its time developing an all-electric supermoto/motorcross from the ground up, called Redshift, and after delivering just a few units to customers last year, the startup now started its full production this week.
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The new budget bill approved by the US Congress last week included an important extension to the 30% investment tax credit (ITC) for solar, but it also brought back the less popular (but welcomed) tax credits for electric motorcycles.
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Alta Motors, formerly known as BRD Motorcycles, announced having delivered the first all-electric Redshift to customers this week.
The first lucky owners are Eric Gauthier and Jeannine Smith, who own and operate Suspension Performance in Mountain View, CA.
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